Concord Times (Freetown)
Regina Pratt
8 February 2010
Freetown — Twenty-nine co-workers and members within the Lumley and Goderich communities were recipients of this year's SOS Children's Village Trust Sierra Leone awards for service and support to the village.
The ceremony was held last Friday at the village headquarter, Lumley.
In his remarks, national director Olatungie Woode said 36 years ago a noble international organization in child welfare came to Sierra Leone to care, provide and protect orphans, destitute and abandon children, which is today the SOS Children's Village.
He said the aim of the awards night was to honour, appreciate and 'say a big thank you' to those co-workers of the village who have served the organization for two or more decades in times of peace and war.
"These co-workers had put interest in the SOS children as a priority, accepted that every child has the right to a family, home, education, health and to be treated with respect and dignity," he said.
Woode further noted that the ceremony was also to show appreciation and thanks to non-SOS personnel who are members of the communities and who in their own little ways had contributed greatly to SOS for more than ten years.
"They believe in the cause of children and their welfare, and the SOS for which reason they are always willing and ready to serve in diverse ways," he stressed.
The national director said it is very easy to ask others to serve, work and deliver, but it is often difficult to recognize good and to say thank you, which according to him, is the most simple sentence that is used at all times.
He called on all SOS workers to be dedicated to the welfare of children.
Minister of social welfare, genders and children's affairs, Dr. Alex Soccoh Kabia - who was the guest speaker - said the Sierra Leone SOS Children's Village is one of the oldest children's villages in West Africa founded by Hermann Gmeiner.
He said the organization has achieved a lot in offering hope, opportunity, love and care for orphans, destitute and abandoned children.
Dr. Kabia said "when we talk of most vulnerable in our society, we are talking about children who need support to make them grow and be productive citizens".
"What SOS has done for children cannot be measured in words," he said, adding that the physically challenged are vulnerable to sexual exploitation, trafficking and other forms of harassment.
SOS board member, Mrs. Victoria Conteh said the awardees are special people that the village wish to honour for their dedication to the organization.
She said the Board of Trustees of the SOS appreciates their effort towards the children.
Mrs. Conteh thanked the national director for his relentless effort in making SOS a success story.
The ceremony was chaired by the deputy national director, Benoi Williams, with contributions from the Hermann Gmeiner School, physically challenged children and comedians.
Some of the recipients included Manny Bayoh who served the institution for 27 years, Jane Browne - 24 years, John Conteh - 19 years, Patrick Lambert, Emmanuel Ewajuku, and Morlai Kamara - a gardener in Bo who had served the institution for over 19 years.
The recipients were awarded from one to two months salary, a certificate of acknowledgement and baskets full with gifts.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2010 Concord Times. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
